CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I hear the Cavs will give Sasha Kaun a two-year deal starting at $1.2 million for 2015-16. Not sure how much the second season of the contract will pay the 6-foot-10 Russian center.

I do know the Cavs consider Kaun very important to the team, even if it seems they are loaded with big men. Former Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry drafted Kaun in 2008, and believed the big man would eventually be NBA ready.

1. Anderson Varejao is coming off an Achilles injury. The 6-foot-10 veteran is doing well, but he has had significant injuries in each of the last five seasons.

2. I hear the Cavs have offered Tristan Thompson a five-year deal in the $75-80 million range. If he signs, the Cavs will have the 6-foot-10 rebounder and defender in place. But Thompson's agent, Rich Paul, has indicated his client may sign a one-year qualifying offer. He then becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016 when the salary cap will increase by at least 30 percent.

3. Russian center Timofey Mozgov becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016. He could receive a $100 million deal as 7-footers who are true centers are very valuable.

4. Kevin Love is coming off significant shoulder surgery. He is expected to be ready for the opener, but the Cavs want to keep his minutes somewhat modest early in the season. Love is signed for five years.

5. On paper, Kaun is the No. 5 center/power forward. His natural position is center. But in 2016-17, the Cavs probably won't have this same group of big men because of impending free agency, injuries and other factors. So he brings real depth and a defensive presence that the team craves.

No one knows for sure, as Irving is recovering from surgery to repair a fractured knee cap. But the Cavs do expect him to play well before January. Of course, that can change once they see him in training camp.

Even if Irving's knee is in excellent shape, they plan to cut his minutes early in the season. He ranked No. 3 in average minutes per game last season. LeBron James was No. 5. I recently wrote about this.

That's too much for both players during the regular season.

The Cavs signed veteran Mo Williams, who has started 511 games in the NBA. That includes 33 at point guard last season. He averaged 14 points and can take some of the scoring load off Irving in the backcourt.

The Cavs also have Matthew Dellavedova coming back. So they have Williams and Dellavedova to help out at point guard, allowing Irving to miss some games. He also can play fewer minutes.

The re-signing of J.R. Smith should help the Cavs cut the minutes for James during the regular season. The 6-foot-6 Smith can play both shooting guard and small forward.

ABOUT J.R. SMITH

Here's how to look at Smith's two-year contract with the Cavs: He is guaranteed at least $7.1 million.

It was originally reported as a two-year deal in the $10.3 million range, with a second-year player option at $5.3 million.

Actually, Smith was guaranteed $3 million for 2015-16, with another $2 million to be guaranteed on Monday (September 7).

Don't ask why the contract is structured that way unless you want to take an advanced course in salary cap theory.

I don't.

As of Monday, Smith's salary for this season is $5 million, guaranteed. The key reason for the September 7 date is the second year of the contract.

Here's how that works:

1. In 2016-17, Smith can earn at least $5.3 million. It's a player option. Only $2.1 million of that is guaranteed.

2. Smith has to tell the team about a week before the 2016 draft if he plans to pick up his player option for about $5.3 million. If he does, $2.1 million is guaranteed immediately.

3. The other $3 million is guaranteed on September 7, 2016. But the Cavs can cut him before that, and only pay the $2.1 million guarantee.

4. This is done so that Smith knows an extra $3 million is in play as an incentive for him to continue working to fit in with the Cavs.

5. This contract also could make Smith attractive in a trade, although the Cavs want and need Smith this season. If both options are picked up, Smith can earn about $10.1 million over the next two seasons.

6.The Cavs appreciate the fact that Smith was patient and flexible when it came to signing a new contract. His goal was to find a way to come back to the Cavs. The goal for the Cavs was to find a contract that worked for both sides.

ABOUT TIMOFEY MOZGOV

Timofey Mozgov didn't tell the Cavs that his knee was bothering him until after the playoffs. It was during his final meeting before going home for the summer. Mozgov's knee never had any swelling, but an MRI revealed that there were some loose particles that needed to be removed. The surgery was not considered serious. He should be ready for training camp.

Mozgov told the team that he didn't want to complain about anything during the postseason that ended in a loss to Golden State in The Finals. He was so excited to be playing on a good team with a shot at the title, he figured he'd play through the pain. He averaged 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in the Finals.